Artificial Sweeteners May Heighten the Risk for Strokes and Dementia
But aren't dietary foods and drinks healthy?
One relatively simple concern is that diet food like artificially sweetened drinks and cookies, supposedly healthier than sugary ones but still not very wholesome, may result in less consumption of more nutritious foods like fruits and vegetables. Holly Strawbridge from the Harvard Health blog writes, “Research suggests that [artificial sweeteners] may prevent us from associating sweetness with caloric intake. As a result, we may crave more sweets, tend to choose sweet food over nutritious food, and gain weight” (Strawbridge).
Other problems with artificial sweeteners come more from a more scientific view on their structure and origins.